I always appreciate your sober views, Russell as I also appreciate Gerhard's views; not to disrespect others who are intelligent and informed on this list. When the main source of information for a society that lauds free press has only one view of political events, the press is no longer free and alternative sources of information will prevail in moderation. It comes as no surprise that the majority of people will trust CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN, FOX News, NPR, NY Times and Washington Post as though they publish truth. But they all publish the same story, the same way from the same source and it is always flavored with a left political bias. It is because the seniors know little or nothing of computers and internet, at least as a corporate body, and a large portion of the over forty crowd is in the same boat that the main media is accepted. As far as I am concerned, these media outlets are no different than Pravda and Isvestia were at the height of the cold war, or The China Daily, or al Jazera reporting on the West. You have observed the US clearly, at least on the surface. There is a Chinese saying: "There is something under the water." The Chinese are great for speaking in symbols, as are the Russians also. There is a power struggle between the left and the right in America that has raged on for many decades. That much is obvious to even the most casual observer. But there is something under the water and that is the effort by the left to transform the American political economy from capitalism to socialized capitalism and to expand social control to unprecedented extremes. For the most part, socialism is an atavism and has given way to socialized capitalism, as in China, and other countries with the Marxist ideological foundation. The problem with socialized capitalism is that it serves the government at the expense of the people. There are some very publicized wealthy in China, international lawyers, some businessmen, and others. This was built by the foreign investment initiated by Deng. But the majority of the people still live on a very small amount of money; at the poverty level. There are arguments that over time all will form a giant market economy. But unless the Chinese government approved much needed economic reform socialized capitalism will amount to nothing more than a foreign supported economy. Socialized capitalism is being touted by the left as the savior of America. But since the democrats took over congress their approval rating has dropped to single digit, the price of gasoline has skyrocketed, they continue to lead opposition to developing nuclear power and producing and refining domestic petroleum, and suggest such impractical ideas as wind power, which is a joke except for a supplement by your own home. There is clearly an opposition by the left to energy independence and the main media suppresses this opposition or casts it in a favorable light. The candidates for president are not representative of the will of the American people and were selected by media hype. I have to wonder if either of them will actually be elected by vote. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Apptech" To: "Microcontroller discussion list - Public." Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 4:51 AM Subject: Re: [OT]Beijing Olympic Games opening ceremony >> ... You need to qualify that statement by > saying "pointing out that your country is doing evil, which > can be > objectively supported as such and not based on arbitrary > evidence, arbitrary > political definition, or passionate supposition." > /> > > It interests me to note that every 4 years about 50% of the > active voters in the US elect the best (wo)man for the job > to the highest office in the land, while a very slightly > smaller number of voters are then "lumbered with an utterly > incompetent moron" for the next 4 years. Human nature being > what it is, in the case of both the office holder and the > voters, the moron rating rises somewhat as the 4 year term > proceeds. The above outcome is largely independent of the > candidate, their beliefs or their capability. Where a strong > opinion on the state of the nation is predicated on the > outcome of a Presidential election then I am a bit loath to > join either the cheering or the jeering squad. Where such > opinions are based more on long term trends I'm more liable > to consider being swayed a little. > > In my own country I for many years considered myself more a > main_party_A supporter (based on my perception of their good > for the country as a whole) but found myself more often > voting for main_party_B due to local circumstances which our > electoral situation exacerbated. > > In more recent years we have progressed towards a reasonably > pure proportional system (not without its flaws) with the > two major parties plea bargaining with a gaggle of smaller > balance of power mongers. I have given up voting for any > party that is liable to actually achieve office as all the > key players, in my assessment, are against the good of the > majority and are doing more damage than good overall*. I am > not un-proud of my country, but it's in spite of the > politicians and not because of them. > > > Russell > > This is political and will soon if taken into country > specifics. Consider it a general comment on polarising > political trends. > > * Our 2 > non_US_no_name_country_please_even_though_you_know_it major > parties are very vaguely similar to D & R but are named > something_else and something_else. In my assessment they > both hate "the poor". One wishes to keep them in their place > and minimise their "cost" and their ability to attain fair > rewards for their labours and 'the right to their own > capital'. The other seeks to break their will to rise above > their present situation with handouts and elimination of > minor consequences, while enclosing them within a ringfence > (moral and other) within which they may 'play', happily > unawares. Needless to say my perspectives are not the norm. > > > > -- > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist